What Is a Saltwater Pool?

Green-minded homeowners wary about chemicals, and others who just like the feel of saltwater, are opting in greater numbers to install saltwater pools. In 2009, saltwater pools numbered about 1.3 million in the United States, "Casual Living" magazine reports.

Features

In a saltwater pool, you add salt directly to the water. The water passes through an electrolytic chlorine generator that contains a salt cell, a collection of plates with opposite electrical charges. Electrolysis then splits the salt molecules into sodium and chlorine.

Function

Because the electrolytic chlorine generator extracts chlorine from salt added to the water, homeowners don't have to add chlorine to their pools to keep them clean.

Significance

Some people believe that the water in a saltwater pool feels smoother and that saltwater is easier to swim in because it improves buoyancy. Other people, especially those with allergies or skin problems, prefer a pool that does not have added chlorine or other chemicals.

Considerations

Salt water pools require less maintenance than standard chlorinated pools. The salt used in a saltwater pool also is less expensive than the chemicals required to maintain a traditional pool.

Effects

Since 2002, more homeowners have been opting for saltwater pools. The number has grown from 15 percent of all new pools installed in 2002 to an estimated 70 percent, according to "Casual Living" magazine.

References

• Casual Living: Salt Water Pool
• Washington Times: Saltwater Pools
• Pool Plaza: How Salt Water Pools Work

Resources

• Fun Times: Salt Water Systems